Bengals' Gresham striving to be greatest

Considers Graham, Gronkowski the best

Aug. 2, 2012

Jermaine Gresham / Enquirer file photo

Written by

Joe Reedy

In 2010 Jermaine Gresham was the first tight end selected in the draft. As he enters his third season with the Bengals, Gresham would say he is the third or fourth best tight end in his class.

Before Thursday’s practice, Gresham was blunt in an assessment of his game when comparing what he has done against Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham and Aaron Hernandez.

“I look at it as I have to step it up because those guys are setting historic numbers,” Gresham said. “I have to step my game up to get where those guys are at, to even be considered with them. Right now I’m not even close.”

Gresham then added something else about his game, which you rarely hear from anyone who went to the Pro Bowl last year.

“I’m very, very average, below average right now. I need to excel at things so I can be on the top-level tier with those guys. It’s just that simple.”

Last season Gresham became the first Bengals tight end since Dan Ross in 1981 to have two straight seasons of 50 receptions or more. He finished second on the team in receptions (56), fourth in receiving yards (596) and was tied for second in touchdowns with six after missing two games due to a hamstring injury.

That is small consolation, though, when looking at what Gronkowski and Graham have done.

Both Gronkowski and Graham became the first tight ends in league history to have over 1,300 receiving yards in a season. Gronkowski had 1,327 with 17 touchdowns and Graham had 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns.

When asked if he could put up similar numbers, Gresham said: “I believe so, but until I do it, you can’t even compare. … I just put things in perspective.”

Ironically, Gresham made the Pro Bowl last season as a replacement for Gronkowski when the Patriots went to the Super Bowl. Gresham and Graham, though, did get a chance to discuss their respective games while in Hawaii.

Gresham said he has watched tape of all of Gronkowski and Graham’s catches at least seven times but that he has watched other tight ends as well.

When it comes to comparisons, tight end coach Jonathan Hayes said there is a major caveat. Gronkowski has Tom Brady and Graham has Drew Brees. While Andy Dalton did make the Pro Bowl last season as a rookie, he doesn’t have the experience yet that Brady and Brees possess.

Another coach who is not into comparisons is offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

When asked about Gresham being overly critical and comparing himself to others, Gruden said: “There’s no reason to compare him to anyone. He’s his own person. There are guys who might have better stats or highlights but Jermaine is a very solid tight end and we’re happy to have him. He’s going to have great games and he’s going to have some where he doesn’t get a lot of catches but I know he’s going to be a major factor.”

The other thing that should bring improved numbers is that Gresham feels more comfortable in Gruden’s offense.

Gresham said that early last season he felt like a rookie all over again with the new playbook and coming in off a lockout, but the learning curve got smaller as the year went along. He was split out more as a receiver and his average yards per carry went up. In six of the last seven regular-season games, Gresham averaged 11.2 yards or better per catch in those games and he had five receptions of 20 yards or more.

This offseason, Gresham has felt as if the strides have continued.

“Just being here with the quarterback, getting to see coach in the offseason, just knowing the playbook, seeing repetition, just trying to expand,” he said. “You can see the difference just knowing the offensive playbook. It’s pretty good.”

Tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes said the one area where he has seen improvement during the offseason workouts and camp has been Gresham’s route running and that he has improved in his reads.

“The offseason was good in the sense that we got to work on techniques but then we were able to watch and analyze and revisit and try it again,” Hayes said. “It kind of turned into a science lab. He could see it, feel it and now be closer to what we want now that camp has started.”

With the second receiver spot still a logjam, Gresham’s improvement in the offense will go a long way toward seeing if the passing game can continue to progress.

Said Gresham: “From a comparative sense, you want to be the best. I believe I can be that guy. It’s more pride than anything. You’ve just got to keep up with your peers.”